Childhood obesity is a growing problem in America. As of 2008, the prevalence of this problem in children age six to 11 had increased from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent over the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Encouraging your child to get active and eat nutritious foods will put her on the right track for weight loss.
Get Active
Your child needs at least 60 minutes of cardiovascular activity daily, according to the CDC. Make this requirement easier and fun by encouraging your child to play sports, such as basketball, soccer or volleyball. At least three days a week, your child's aerobic activity needs to include strengthening activities, like running or jumping rope.
She also needs muscle strengthening activities three times weekly. These activities help your child burn calories more efficiently, resulting in quicker weight loss. Gymnastics is an option for strengthening muscles. She can also use her body weight with activities like pull-ups, sit-ups and stomach crunches.
Also, reduce your child's TV time. Children shouldn't spend more than two hours a day in front of the television, according to KidsHealth.org. Spending more time than this may interfere with her ability to meet physical activity requirements.
Minimize Snacking
Your child can add hundreds of calories to his diet by snacking on high calorie foods, like chips and crackers. Children need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, according to KidsHealth.org. Encourage your child to help pre-cut fruits and vegetables to make choosing a healthy snack easier. These foods are high in fiber, allowing your child to feel more satisfied and avoid overeating.
Eat Breakfast
A child trying to lose weight might be temped to skip breakfast. However, this doesn't have a desirable effect. Your child's metabolism is more efficient when she eats breakfast and she's less likely to overeat later in the day. Encourage your child to eat protein-rich foods in the morning, such as egg whites or protein-enriched cereal. Whole-grain toast is a good option; it's full of fiber, making your child feel full.
Avoid Fad Diets
The quickest way to interfere with your child's weight loss is with a fad diet. These diets don't promote long-term healthy eating habits. Red flags for a fad diet are those that severely limit your child's calorie intake. This puts her body into starvation mode, causing it to retain weight. Taking diet pills, special powders or weight-loss herbs are a few more red flags.
A healthy diet for your child should include foods from all the major food groups, such as grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein and healthy sources of fat. If you need help calculating serving sizes of each food group for your child, MayoClinic.com offers a Healthy Pyramid Weight Loss Tool.
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